Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-18
CITY AND DISTRICT.
Bark Lice and Tussock Moths.


10 the Editor CT The EVENING STAR:
having recently made some suggestions and f.
SUED some warnings which have been received with
general favor, In regard TO the web-wor on the
treeS, i wish now TO call attention to two
other insects which are actively at work upon
Trees shrubs or vines In this city. One OF these Is
so-called oark-louse which Is found upon both
paIX ana leaves OF the maple-treeS, and at this
season especially upon the under side Of the leaves
~ presents the appearance OF a mass OF pure white
wax about inch long and y inch wide and
tnlck, with q brown scale on one end. Each waXy
mas wnen broken open, may be drawn out into
nne white threads, and found TO contain from i've
hundred 70 thousand or more eggs These insects
at present are comparatively harmless as their
leaves on the trees AS each one is a female, how.
ever, and capable of producing the thousand young
no1x NJ IN the what trouble Is taken
IOr oy the future exemption OF the trees from in
Jury The eggs are likely to hatch at any time from
tnis on insO July, so that although spraying with
an emulsion OF kerosene with other non- poison
Gus insecticfde substances would destroy the
young II applied during the short period OF activity
of these young. IL is impracticable TO repeat the
spraying at intervals sufficiently frequent to ex-
terminate the brood; and this remedy may, for
Cannot be applied regardless Of expense. Great
numbers OF the parent insects, with their
placEing the Affected ' leaves and ' burning
Them The insects attached to the twigs
should also be plucked on. AS they may occur,
those which are inaccessible this remedy Is only
palliative. Some person who Is willing to 60 to
efiicient measures may be Induced 20 pay $50 for
one OF "Frof. Riiey's tank-carLs, with spray noZ-
zles and extension poles" such as were recon-
mended In The STAR few days ago. And might
add a remark by the way, In regard TO these tank
carts, since u communication from me, published
mented upon I'm your paper Of the 13th by Mr..
l. u. Howard, who, although he dates Dis COM
the Division OF Entomology OF The department OF
Agriculture, under the personal control Of the Mr..
Riley 10 whom he refers, and for whom he makes
certain claims In bis communication Mr.. h. says
that 'the tank cart was not MI Mann states,
invented for the purpose OF spraying cotton 1ed5,
but was devised by Dr. Riley himself in the sum-
mer OF 1883 especially for the purpose Of spraying
shade trees and orchards" How little truth there
Is In this criticism so far as any essential features
pairing the figures and descriptions OF the
device In the pamphlet referred TO by Mr.. IL.
with those In the report OF the commissioner OF
Agriculture for 1881 and 1852, pages 159 To 162,
and plate 9, published six months before the sum-
mer OF 1888 wherein the Identical Illustrations
and almost identically the same descriptions are
given OF this apparatus, which was invented for
spraying cotton-wormS. On page POS OF the same
report it Is shown that casks Of liquid carried ON
bamboo poles were used in California In 1882, for
spraying large orchard trees. Perhaps "Dr. Riley
devised "A tank with rectangular corners In 1883
US a substitute for a barrel!
In regard TO the harmlessness OF arsenical sOlu-
tons, reference may be made TO page 113, Of the
Appendix TO the Fourth Report Of the United
States chronological Commission, published in
ISL 10y Charles v; Riley; IN. D.. D., where LIS IL IS
and larger ground beetles have been reported found
the destruction OF which must doubt less be attri-
buted 10 the poison. The number OF such cases Is,
perhaps, larger than can be actually proven"
There Is no danger, however, that the Super1Dten-
1ent OF pubic parks Will spray the residents OF
meDded by Mr.. Riley. IL Is not worth while
TO dispute about any matters OF opinion, but what
OF the right OF d person who Is not OF the "Divi-
sion Of Entomology" TO disagree with Prof Riley?"